Wednesday, August 15, 2012

HALIFAX - Privately, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his fellow Conservatives are said to be livid over Germany Chancellor Merkel's freelance visit to Dalhousie University to see the launch of a climate change study --- but in public it is all "sunshine and smiles".

Officially, Merkel is merely visiting Halifax's Dalhousie University to help launch a joint project on climate change between Dalhousie's Marine Research Institute and the German Helmholtz Association--- a job usually left for an official from the German Embassy in Ottawa to perform.

But Merkel has always made it clear that resource-poor and now population-poor Germany can only survive by (a) using its brains - ie science and (b) using those brains on up and coming global issues before others see the future opportunity.

And in practise, that means above all else, being there first on energy shortages and climate change.

By contrast, Harper is a Calgary-based MP and has always ensured his own personal re-election by working tirelessly to see that his governing party is nothing more than mere putty in the hands of Canada's massive Calgary-based Oil industry.

Under his watch, Canada's Conservatives have become the world's first governing "fossil energylobby group".

He himself is one of the world's biggest and most tireless (tiresome ?) climate deniers but is not content, like most of them, to merely rant against the climate in a blog.

In fairness, Mr Harper has shown some restraint : he hasn't yet ordered any 'hits' on pesky climate change supporters.

But his trigger finger must really be twitching this week over the fact that Ms Merkel's highly public pro-climate change action is taking place in his own 'hood. De Capo is not pleased !

Harper hates warmist 'traitors' in his family of fellow conservatives.

But fortunately for the German Chancellor, Harper and Canadian Conservatives are also, and not so secretly , 'loving' the way that Merkel has slapped down those dark and swarthy Dagos from Greece and Spain over their financial deficits.

This fact has restrained Harper and his cabinet cronies from publicly launching their normal full-press character assassination on anyone who dares oppose them.

Still the anger must go somewhere -no wonder then that extra amounts of high blood pressure pills had to be delivered to this week's Cabinet meeting, as a medical precaution...